Brandon group hopes to recruit new search and rescue volunteers

Southwestern Manitoba's biggest city is looking to recruit more members for its search and rescue team.

The Brandon Regional Search and Rescue Association held its first open house in more than four years Saturday with the hope of inspiring new volunteers to join the organization. Robin Ponto, search and rescue chair, says currently there are around 25 to 30 members on the team. 

He would like to see that number grow to 35 members on the rescue roster.

"There's a place for everybody ... It's kind of like a football team. It doesn't matter what kind of skill sets you have. We're going to train you," Ponto says. "We need people in the back end too ... not necessarily people that are on the ground, in the bush."

But recruitment for the non-profit organiztion can be challenging — especially over the last three years. 

"We're not getting any younger," Ponto said, and there's a need to bring "in younger people that have interest in search and rescue."

The open house was a push from the team to draw in more volunteers while connecting with the community to show what they do. 

He cautions search and rescue is not everyone. Ponto estimates out of the people they talk to, maybe one out of 100 join the team.

"It's very difficult and they need to understand that coming on board. It's a calling … it's challenging but it's a very rewarding as well."

Becky Stewart has been volunteering with Brandon and Regional Search and Rescue since its inception 12 years ago. 

"It's nice to see people coming in ... while a lot of people may not be here to join, it's nice to see the interest from the community and the support," she said.

Stewart has two children and when she sees stories about people going missing, she always thinks about how she can do her part to help.

She says this shared goal keeps the group united together in what feels like a family. 

"It's a wonderful group to be part of," Stewart said. "Really good friendships have been formed through this ... I even call some of them my search and rescue mom and dad."

A day in the life

In 2023, Brandon Regional Search and Rescue Association has had three on-site active searches and two looking for evidence at old scenes where people have gone missing. 

Ponto says the common thread for these searches is bringing families closure.

"It's emotional obviously for the people, the relatives of the person missing. But it's also, I find it very emotional for the rescuers because we've done good that day," Ponto said.

One search that sticks out in Ponto's mind was the 2016 search for a missing two-year-old in Austin, Man., located 130 kilometres west of Winnipeg.

"It was everybody. There was no way anybody was going to step back. And if you have to be out there at three in the morning, crashing in the bush, that's what we're going to do," Ponto said. "We had so many spontaneous volunteers."

More than 500 people helped with the search. Ponto says searches like this are what get people on the ground because the community wants to rally and help.

When they are not on active calls, the association usually meets around once a month for training on skills like GPS, maps, first aid or navigating the woods. The key is keeping their skills sharp for when they are deployed anywhere in Manitoba, Ponto said.

It's unpredictable when they will get called out to search — Ponto estimates the average is around five or six times a year. The calls come at any time of day or night.

They also never know how long a search may take — some are over in a couple of hours and others can take multiple days of searching 24/7.

While the days can be long, hard and challenging — especially when they searching in the bush and snow — it's an important job, Ponto said.

"If you are any kind of person that has empathy for other families that are having difficulties and missing a missing loved one, it's very challenging," he said, but "It's something you can give back to the community."